Congratulations are due to the High Court and Chief Minister Nizar (and not to mention Speaker Sivakumar, whose coolness under pressure will earn him a cameo appearance in the nation’s history books for sure), but let us return to the original demand that was articulated three months ago: Let the People of Perak decide once and for all, decisively – for it is they and only they who can resolve this crisis with any popular legitimacy, says Farish Noor. Let the people of Perak decide, call for state elections now!

Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim did the right thing in withdrawing himself from hearing the two cases against Perak Speaker V Sivakumar. It is the only decent thing to do after the ridiculous decisions he had made in these cases which denied the Speaker the choice of lawyers and his own right to defend himself. His position has become untenable.

It was another day of absurdity in the annals of the judiciary when Judicial Commissioner Ridwan Ibrahim incomprehensibly ruled on 11 March 2009 to deny the Speaker of the Perak State Assembly his right of defence. His ridiculous decision has given the judiciary a bad name tarnishing its reputation and ruining its image.

Minister in the PM’s Department Nazri Abd Aziz has labelled Perak State Assembly Speaker V Sivakumar a “boy speaker”. He says the Speaker “does not know what he is doing. He is not fit to be given such a heavy responsibility.” Alas, who has been acting like a boy? Of course, the small boy in the PM’s department, writes Martin Jalleh.

Confronted by crisis in Perak, the people had reason to believe that the judiciary would be our last hope for justice to prevail. That hope is apparently misplaced. What a disappointment that proved to be!

Lawyer Tommy Thomas reports on what happened in the High Court judge’s chambers this morning in Ipoh. He also provides an opinion on whether the Speaker could legally hold a sitting of the state assembly.